Speedometer driving mechanism.



A. LUUMIS.

SPEEDUMETER DHIVI NG MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 311912.

Patented May 32, i917.

, eaters such as speedometers, odometers, tax- ALLEN LOOMIS, orpnirnorr, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR rro Pncnnnn Moron can COMPANY,

' r on DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION hon MICHIGAN.

' SPEEDOMETEB. DRIVING MECHANISM.

Original application filed May 19, 1909, Serial No. 497,047. Divided and this application filed July 3, 1912. a a F Serial filo. 707,540.

To all who m e't may concern:

Be it known that I, ALLEN Looms, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, Wayne county, State of Michigan,

have invented certain new and useful IIIl-I provements in Speedometer Driving Mechanism, of which the following is a specification. a a

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 497,047, filed May 19,

This invention relates to automobiles and particularly to mechanism for driving indi- Heretofore been driven from the road wheels. of the automobile througha flexible shaft eXtending from the indicator on the dash to the front wheels where the shaft is connected through a pairof spur gears to the. road wheel, one of thegearsbeing mounted di- *rectly on the wheel. Thus the gearsare necessarily exposed, and cannot be lubricated. Aside from the. wear thus necessi-- tated the gearing is liable to injury from stones,mud, eto.,thrown up from the road.

It is one of the objects of this invention to so construct the indicatord riving mechanism that the gears and driving shafts may be entirely inclosed where they may be properly lubricated and be free from external injury. Another object is to constia'ct' such mechanism so that it may be built up with the knuckle and connects at the outer end- "with the hub of the wheel. The inner end of the driving shaft is provided with a gear which meshes with a on a driven shaft journaled in the knuckle, this driven. shaft.

being a flexible shaft and connected to the indicator mounted upon the dash. The gears are entirely inclosed by a housing which housing protects the gear against injury and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 22, 1917.

allows the mechanism to be packed in grease. This housing may be a separate housing bolted or otherwise secured to the knuckle or spindle, forminga support for the driving and driven shafts, or the knuckle may be hollow and the gears mounted in the cavity. l/Vhen the knuckle is ofthe hollow construction a removable cap is provided whereby the gears and driving shaft may be removed. i

In the drawings: I v Figure *1 is a vertical section through a steering'knuckle and wheel hub embodying the invention.

. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line as of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the outer end of the wheel hub, shown in F ig. l, with the hub cap removed. l

Referring to the drawings '10 designates a frontaxle provided with a yoke forming yoke arms 11. A steering knuckle 12', consisting ofa body portion 13 and having a spindle 14,is mounted on a pivot pin'15 extending through the knuckle and the yoke arms and secured in place by nut 16 and cotter pin as shown in Fig. 1. The knuckle is preferably provided w ith the usual bushings 17 and a thrust ring 18 is provided to trans mit' the weight of thevehicle tothe Wheels. i The knuckle 15. provided with an arm 19 which connects with the usual steering mechanism.

The road Wheel 20 comprises an inner hub member 21, an outer hub member 22, which hub members are provided with flanges'23, 23',- and spokes 24: clamped and bolted in' place between the flanges 23, 23 by belts or rivets as shown. The bushing 25 is riveted or otherwise secured to the inner hub member'2l .byfastenings 26 and is mounted 'ilpon'the spindle 14. The usual hub cap 27 is provided which screws on the end of the V andthe nut '28 secures the wheel hub 22, in place.

Through the spindle 1d extends a bore 29 forming abearing for the driving shaft 30. On the outer end of the driving shaft is mounted a spider 31-provided with radial arms which enter recesses 32 formed in the otherwise'secured to the knuckle or spindle and a shaft 37" is journaled in this housing.

The shaft 30 passes to one side of the pivot pin and not'being arranged on the axis of the spindle. the outer end of the shaft is loosely splined in th'e'spider 31 so as to allow a slight 'universal movement which is necessary on account ofthe angular relation l of the shaft 30 and'the spider 31.

' A bevel gear 33 is arranged on the end of shaft 30 in 'housing42 and meshes with a gear 36--moun.ted on the shaft flexible and extends to the indicator outhc "plied to-a hub and spindle having the plain therefore to he understoodthat this invention is not to be limited to the specific (0th dash. In order to permit removal and iiispection of'the partsarranged i i the housmg 42, a suitable cover plate 43 is provided.

- By this arrangement of the parts it will be seen that the shaft 30 and the gears may be withdrawn from the inner end of the spindle without rei'noving or disturbing in any way the hull-caper hearings. or the knuckle pivot pin. Since all of the driving parts are mounted in a: separate casing. this construction may he appl ied. to vehicles after they have been built. 'Alt-houghthis invention is shown as apbearings it is obvious that this construction may be applied to a hub and a pindle of the roller bearing construction. It will also he noted that iertain features of construction may be applied to spindles not mounted on a knuckle.

It is obvious-that.various changes in the details of construction may be made without departing. from this invention and it is striiction shown and described.

- Having thiis describedthe invention what is claimed as new is: 4 I

'1 In a vehicle, the combination with a steeringknuckle having a spindle and a road wheel mounted on the spindle, of an indicator driving mechanism mounted upon the knuckle and having a shaft extending through the spindle, a connection between the shaft andthe hub of the wheel, and a casing for thedrivingniechanism removably secured to-the knuckle.

I i c v I. steering knuckle having a spindle and a road 2. In a. vehicle, the combination' with a wheel mounted, on the spindle, of an indicator driving mechanism, a removable housing supporting the indicator driving mechanism 6 and secured to the knuckle, and an operative connection between said mechanism and the wheel.

.3. In a vehicle, the combination'with a steering knucklehaving a spindle and a road which is wheel i'nounted on the spindle. of an. indicator driving niechlinisin including a driving and a driven shaft. a pair of intermeshing gears on said shafts. a removable housing for said gears supporting the shafts, and a detachable operative connection between the driving shaft and thewheel. 1

--l. In a vehicle. the combination with the axle and the steering spindle, of an indicator driving mechanism having a'shaft extending through the spindle, a c'onn ection from the shaft to the vehicle wheel, and in,- terineshing gears at the inner, end of the 'shaft. and a pivotal connection. for said spindle. to said axle having itsaxis offset from the axis of said shaft. i (3. In a vehicle. the combination with the. axle andthe steeringspindle. of an indicator driving mechanism comprising a. shaft extending, through the spindle, a connection from the shaft to the vehicle wheel, and internieshing gears at the-inner end of the shaft. and a pivotal connection between said spi'ndle'and said axle having its axis'oifset from the axes of said gears.

i. In a vehicle. the combination with the axle. thesleering spindle pivoted to theaxle a and the wheel mounted on the steering spindle. of an indicator driving shaft eX- tending through the spindle at an angle to the axisofthe spindle-and a universal joint connection between saidshaft and the wheel;-

8. In av vehicle, the combination with the axle, the steering spindle pivoted to the axle. and the wheel nounted on the'steering spindle. .of an indicator driving shaft. extending through thespindle and arranged to be withdriiwn from the inner end of the v spindle, and means operatively connecting the outer end of said shaft and the wheel and having a loose connection with the shaft so that the latter may be withdrawn therefrom 4 in the direction of its axis without disturb-- iiig the wheel or the spindle pivot.

9. In a vehicle, the combination with th axle, thesteering spindle pivoted to the axle andhav-ing a chamber at its inner end, and

the wheel mounted on the steering spindle and having a. hub cap, of-an indicator shaift extending through the spindle and arranged to be withdrawn from'the innerendof the spindle means operatively connecting the outer end of said shaft and the wheel and having a loose connectionwith the shaft perinitting the latter to be withdrawn therefrom in the direction of its axis without disturbing thev wheel or its' hub cap, and aremovable cover plate for said chamber.

10 In. a vehicle, the combination with the having a goon in mesh with said first monuxle and the steering spindle, of an indicator tioned gear. 10 driving mechanism comprising a shaft ex- In testimony whereof I affix my signature tending through said spindle and having a in presence of two witnesses.

gear on its inner end. a vertical pivotal con- ALLEN LOOMIR. motion between said spindle andsaid axle "Witnesses:

and arranged wholly out, of alinement with J. H. Hum,

said shaft, and an indicator driving shaft. J. B. BoYon. 

